Southampton

Southampton's population expanded in the decade leading up to the most recent census. At the same time there were changes in housing tenure, ethnicity and health.

The population reached nearly 240,000

In the 10 years leading up to the latest census, the population of Southampton increased by 8.9%, from about 217,000 to 237,000.

The addition of about 19,000 people means this area's population increased faster than the rate of growth across England (up 7.9% since the 2001 census).

In 2011, Southampton was home to, on average, 34 people per football pitch-sized piece of land. This made it the South East's second-most densely-populated unitary authority.

Population density was higher than the average across the South East

Population density (usual residents per football pitch-sized piece of land) across the South East, March 2011 (larger dots represent greater increase since 2001)

A younger Southampton

Census 2011 data also show a change in the local population's average age.

Between the last two censuses, the median age of Southampton decreased by one year, from 33 to 32 years.

This city had the third-lowest average age in the South East and remained younger than the average local authority area across England (39 years of age).

The fall in age was because of an increase of just under 6,300 people between the ages of 20 and 29 years, while the population between 70 and 79 years decreased by just over 900.

About 22% of people in Southampton are aged between 20 and 29 years

Percentage of usual residents in England, South East and Southampton by 10 year age band, March 2001 and March 2011

More people cohabiting

Southampton saw the South East's largest rise in the proportion of households with an unmarried couple.

In 2011, just under one in nine (11%) households in Southampton had an unmarried couple, compared with 8.9% in 2001. The percentage of households comprising just one person remained close to 34%.

Across the region, Dover saw the next largest increase in the proportion of households with an unmarried couple (from 8.1% in 2001 to 10% in 2011).

During this period, Southampton went from having the 22nd-highest to the 11th-highest percentage of cohabiting households out of 309 English local authority areas.

The percentage of households with a cohabiting couple was higher than across the South East

Percentage of households that had an unmarried couple across local authority areas in the South East and the average across England, March 2011

More people worked short hours

The percentage of employed people in Southampton working less than 16 hours increased from 2.5% to 4.2% in the 10 years leading up to the latest census.

In 2011, just under 1 in 11 (8.9%) people aged 16 to 74 (in employment the week before the Census 2011) said they had worked over 49 hours the week before completing the census, compared with 13% in 2001.

The proportion of people working less than 16 hours in a week increased at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of the South East (from 2.1% in 2001 to 3.1% in 2011). Across England, the percentage increased from 1.9% to 3.1%.

The proportion of people working less than 16 hours in a week in Southampton increased by 1.7 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents aged 16 to 74 (in employment the week before the Census 2011) in Southampton, the South East and England that said they had worked less than 16 hours the week before completing the census, March 2001 and March 2011

Disability in Southampton

The percentage of Southampton residents whose day-to-day activities are limited a lot by a long-term health problem or disability increased from 2.8% to 3.3% in the decade leading up to the most recent census.

In 2011, just over 1 in 19 (5.4%) reported being limited a little in their day-to-day activities, compared with 5.6% in 2001. The percentage of Southampton residents whose day-to-day activities are not limited by a long-term health problem or disability decreased from 92% to 91%.

The proportion of people who are considerably limited by a long-term health problem or disability increased at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of the South East (from 2.5% in 2001 to 3.2% in 2011). Across England, the percentage increased from 3.1% to 3.8%.

The proportion of people who are limited a lot by a long-term health problem or disability was higher than across the South East

Percentage of usual residents that reported being considerably limited in their day-to-day activities across local authority areas in the South East and the average across England, March 2011

Rise in private renting

The percentage of privately rented homes increased in Southampton at a faster rate than across the South East.

In Southampton, the proportion of private renting increased from 16% in 2001 to 25% in 2011. During the same period, the regional proportion increased from 10% to 16%.

Across the South East, the share of privately rented homes increased from 10% to 16%.

The rate of social housing in Southampton fell from 24% to 23%, while the rate of home ownership decreased from 57% to 50%.

Private renting in Southampton increased by 8.4 percentage points

Percentage of households in Southampton, the South East and England that rented privately, March 2001 and March 2011

Ethnicity in Southampton

The number of people in Southampton from the White ethnic groups remained close to about 200,000 between the last two censuses. However, as a percentage of the total population, this represented a decrease from 92% to 86%.

The percentage decreased by more than the average across the South East (from 95% to 91%), but at a similar rate to the average across England (from 91% to 85%).

The number of people in Southampton from the Asian or Asian British ethnic groups increased from just under 9,900 in 2001 to about 20,000 in 2011 (from 4.6% to 8.4%). The number of residents from Mixed/multiple ethnic groups (White and Asian, White and Black African, White and Black Caribbean or Other Mixed) increased from just under 3,300 to about 5,700 (from 1.5% to 2.4%).

About 5,100 people (1.0%) said they were from the Black, Black British, Caribbean or African ethnic groups, up from just over 2,200 in 2001 (2.1%).

The population from the White ethnic groups in Southampton decreased by 6.4 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents in England, South East and Southampton by ethnicity, March 2001 and March 2011

Health improved

The percentage of Southampton residents that described their health as bad or very bad decreased from 8.6% to 5.1% in the 10 years leading up to 2011.

Rates are standardised to account for variation in age, which can impact the local population's health.

In 2011, just over 8 in 10 (83%) said their health was good or very good, compared with 68% in 2001. The percentage of Southampton residents that described their health as fair decreased from 23% to 12%.

The proportion of residents that perceived their health as bad or very bad fell here at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of the South East (from 7.2% in 2001 to 4.4% in 2011). Across England, the percentage fell from 9.1% to 5.5%.

These data are people’s own opinions in describing their overall health. They may be inconsistent with other measures of health, such as NHS records.

The percentage of people in ’bad’ or ’very bad’ health in Southampton decreased by 3.5 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents in Southampton, the South East and England said their health was bad or very bad, March 2001 and March 2011

Changing relationships in Southampton

The percentage of married people fell in Southampton, but at a slower rate than in Leeds (one of the most statistically similar areas to Southampton based on ONS area classifications).

In Southampton, the proportion of married people decreased from 40% in 2001 to 37% in 2011. During the same period, the proportion in statistically similar Leeds decreased from 47% to 42%.

Across the South East, the share of married people decreased from 53% to 49%.

The proportion of people who had never married or entered a civil partnership in Southampton increased from 41% to 45%, while the proportion of people who had divorced or separated from a marriage or civil partner remained close to 12%.

The proportion of married people was lower than across the South East

Percentage of usual residents aged 16 and over that said they were married across local authority areas in the South East and the average across England, March 2011

Religion in Southampton

The number of people in Southampton that described themselves as Muslim increased from just under 4,200 in 2001 to about 9,900 in 2011. This represents a change from 1.9% to 4.2% of the local population.

The percentage increased by more than the average across the South East (from 1.2% to 2.2%), but at a similar rate to the average across England (from 3.2% to 5.2%).

The number of people in Southampton that described themselves as Christian decreased from just over 140,000 in 2001 to just over 120,000 in 2011 (from 66% to 52%). The number of people who described themselves as having no religion increased from about 47,000 to about 79,000 (from 22% to 34%).

About 17,000 people (8.0%) did not state their religion, similar to the amount in 2001 (which at the time represented 7.1% of the local population)

The population who identified as Muslim in Southampton increased by 2.3 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents in England, South East and Southampton by religion, March 2001 and March 2011

More students

The percentage of Southampton residents that were studying increased from 5.0% to 6.5% in the 10 years leading up to 2011.

In 2011, just over one in two (50%) people aged 16 to 74 said they were employed, compared with 51% in 2001. The percentage of Southampton residents that were unemployed increased from 2.9% to 4.2%.

The proportion of students increased here at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of the South East (from 2.7% in 2001 to 3.4% in 2011). Across England, the percentage increased from 2.6% to 3.5%.

The percentage of students in Southampton increased by 1.5 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents aged 16 to 74 in Southampton, the South East and England that said they were in education, March 2001 and March 2011

Change in unpaid care provision

The percentage of Southampton residents that provided at least 50 hours of weekly unpaid care increased from 1.8% to 2.0% in the decade leading up to the most recent census.

The percentage who reported providing between 20 and 49 hours of unpaid care each week remained close to 1.0%.

The proportion of people providing 50 hours, or more, of weekly unpaid care increased at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of the South East (from 1.7% in 2001 to 2.0% in 2011). Across England, the percentage increased from 2.1% to 2.4%.

The proportion of people providing 50 hours, or more, of weekly unpaid care in Southampton remained close to 2.0%

Percentage of usual residents in England, South East and Southampton by care, March 2001 and March 2011

Changes in family structure

The percentage of households in Southampton with only adult children living with their parents remained close to 7.9% between the last two censuses.

The percentage that had at least one dependent child remained close to 26%, while the percentage of households in Southampton without children remained close to 66%.

The proportion of households with adult children living with their parents increased at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of the South East (from 8.8% in 2001 to 9.1% in 2011). Across England, the percentage increased from 9.4% to 9.6%.

The proportion of households with only adult children living with their parents was lower than across the South East

Percentage of households where a parent lived with their adult children across local authority areas in the South East and the average across England, March 2011

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